Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A 2022 study by the Yale School of Medicine found that people who used more than half a tablespoon of olive oil in their diet daily had a 19 percent lower risk of death from heart disease.
“We don’t consume enough olive oil in the U.S.,” Karen Tallent said. “We do about a quart of olive oil per person per year, which is not even a teaspoon a day. The Europeans consume 3 to 5 gallons per person per year. We’re trying to get people to think a little bit outside the box with—not just salads and breads—but olive oil for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
Along with her daughter, Jennifer, Karen runs The Groves on 41 olive farm in Templeton. Together, they farm 4,000 olive trees on 7.5 super high-density acres.
“We are more of a boutique producer,” Karen said. “We focus more on quality than quantity.”
The Groves on 41 offers 10 flavored olive oils: garlic, lemon, basil, raspberry, rosemary, jalapeño, praline, tangerine, chipotle, and cinnamon.
With breakfast, lunch, and dinner in mind, the Tallents created recipe cards with cooking ideas and serving suggestions for each olive oil. Recipes include sweet potatoes using the Koroneiki, six-minute custard with the lemon oil, crispy kale chips using the raspberry, and zucchini bread using the cinnamon. The recipes can be found on their website.
The Tallents also sell two extra virgin olive oils: the 2025 Central Coast Olive Oil Competition silver award-winning Spanish Arbequina and the certified Greek Koroneiki. The Groves’ flavored oils are made from the Arbequina base.
Arbequina balances bitter and pungent with hints of artichoke, grass, and green tea. A little drizzle brings out the succulent flavors of steak, pork, and chicken. It’s also the perfect finishing ingredient for salads, vegetables, and bread, according to Karen.
Hailing from the Kalamata olive family, Koroneiki has a peppery finish that provides a kick for steak, pork chops, or sweet potatoes.
A high polyphenol count is the best indication of a high-quality olive oil, Tallent said. The International Olive Oil Council considers 550 to be very high. Baker Wine and Grape Analysis Owner Heather Mikelonis found The Groves on 41’s olive oil to contain 642 polyphenols.
Polyphenols offer a plethora of health benefits. According to Colorado State University, they work as antioxidants and fight certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases.
Thanks to the quality of their oils, the Tallents have received awards from the Paso Robles Olive Festival, the California State Fair, the Ventura County Fair, the Napa Valley Olive Oil Competition, the Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition, and WeddingWire’s Couples’ Choice.
“We sacrifice yield for the polyphenol counts,” Karen said. “The earlier you pull the olives off the trees, the higher the polyphenol count and the better the flavors—but you don’t get as many olives.”
Always thinking of her customers, Karen said she’s happy to put quality over profit. She said the Koroneiki is certified by Applied Sensory in Napa, which evaluates for the International Olive Council, even though it’s not required to be certified.
“Why go through this much work to produce a bad product?” Karen asked.
Along with the olive oil, the Tallents also offer tours of their ranch. In less than two hours, guests’ palates learn the difference between quality olive oil and the stuff sold in stores. They can also meet Coco, the farm’s German shepherd. Tours are by appointment only. Karen said to call or visit the website to schedule an appointment.
The Tallents also teach classes in which they show guests what quality olive oil tastes like and how to find the right olive oil. Participants learn the farm’s origin story, why the Tallents make olive oil, how the Central Coast olive oil industry is improving standards nationwide, what to look for when buying olive oil, and how to incorporate olive oil into their diets.
After years of trying to introduce a new flavor to their lineup, Jennifer finally got her way. The Groves on 41 now produces a peanut butter olive oil, which she said pairs great with oatmeal or toast in the morning.
“You get two responses: [a negative] ‘Oh no,'” she said, or a positive, “‘Oh my goodness.'” Δ
Reach Staff Writer Reece Coren from the Sun, New Times’ sister paper, at rcoren@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jul 3-13, 2025.